China tobacco profits undermine anti-smoking push

A man smokes while resting on a chair near the Tiananmen Square in Beijing Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011. China's government has failed to curb smoking in a country with the world's largest number of smokers because it is too comfortable with revenues from the tobacco monopoly it owns, a group of prominent public health experts and economists said Thursday. (AP Photo/Alexander F. Yuan)
— AP

A man smokes while resting on a chair near the Tiananmen Square in Beijing Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011. China's government has failed to curb smoking in a country with the world's largest number of smokers because it is too comfortable with revenues from the tobacco monopoly it owns, a group of prominent public health experts and economists said Thursday. (AP Photo/Alexander F. Yuan)
/ AP

Smoking is so entrenched in Chinese society that cigarette cartons are commonly exchanged as gifts. A study shows almost half of all male doctors smoke, and tobacco companies are even allowed to sponsor schools. In many parts of China, people will light up in hospitals, offices and even elevators.

However, last year, authorities did instruct kindergartens and elementary, secondary and vocational schools to ban smoking on school grounds and bar teachers from lighting up in front of students.

Nearly 60 experts were involved in writing or reviewing Thursday's report, including its chief authors, Dr. Yang Gonghuan, deputy director of the official Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and Professor Hu Angang of Tsinghua University, one of China's best-known economists and a key policy adviser.

The report attempts to quantify the cost to China from smoking. Last year, it cost 61.8 billion yuan ($9.3 billion) more to treat people for smoking-related illnesses than the tobacco industry generated in profits and jobs created, the report said. Official data released last month said the tobacco industry made 65.9 billion yuan ($9.9 billion) in profits in the first 11 months of last year, 6.3 percent higher than the same period last year.